Portuguese Professional Football League president Reinaldo Teixeira announced in Porto that alcohol sales could return to select football stadiums before the end of the current season.
The announcement follows a pilot project authorized by the Portuguese government for the Cândido de Oliveira Super Cup match between FC Porto and Torreense in Coimbra, where fans were permitted to buy low-alcohol drinks.
Teixeira spoke to journalists following an ordinary General Assembly of the league, where member clubs unanimously approved the activity and accounts report for the 2025/26 season.
He explained that league officials are awaiting a safety evaluation report from the Authority for the Prevention and Combat of Violence in Sport, which he expects to be published this week or next week at the latest.
Once the league evaluates the document, officials will consult with law enforcement agencies, including the Republican National Guard and the Public Security Police, before introducing sales at designated grounds.
The measure will remain strictly subject to security force approval. Sales will be restricted to specific venues and limited to low-alcohol beverages such as beer and cider.
Teixeira revealed that most sports societies managing Portuguese professional clubs have already updated their stadium safety regulations to accommodate the change.
The league chief admitted that officials originally hoped to start the season with alcohol sales in place at some grounds. He added that supporters deserved the change and expressed confidence that the league would achieve it soon during the current campaign.
Stadium Attendance Records
Teixeira also highlighted strong growth in stadium attendances across Portugal, revealing that more than 700,000 spectators attended matches during the first seven rounds of professional competitions.
Second-tier Segunda Liga matches drew an average of 2,196 fans per game, which Teixeira noted appears to be an all-time record for the division. Top-flight Primeira Liga matches recorded an average attendance of 12,215 spectators per game.
Playing Time and Rule Changes
The league president linked the increasing commercial and sporting value of Portuguese competitions to a rise in effective playing time on the pitch. He credited regulatory updates and improved conduct from players, coaches, and referees for reducing time-wasting tactics.
Teixeira noted that key participants have shown greater awareness of the need to maximize active play. He specifically attributed the increase in playing time to rule changes introduced after the World Cup, which reduced time lost during goal kicks and throw-ins.
Club Governance and Industry Events
Addressing public friction between leaders of major Portuguese clubs, Teixeira assured that such tension does not exist during official league meetings. He stated that he sees no internal warfare inside the organization or among sports societies, praising clubs for providing constructive arguments and maintaining a cooperative focus on the collective good.
Teixeira also announced that the Arena Liga Portugal venue in Porto will host the country's first dedicated football fair on October 14 and 15, 2026. The event aims to bring together commercial sectors, sports agents, clubs, and supporters while strengthening connections between football and other sports disciplines.
Background on Portuguese Football Governance
The Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional, commonly known as LPFP or Liga Portugal, is the governing body responsible for organizing Portugal's top two professional football divisions, the Primeira Liga and Segunda Liga. Stadium safety and crowd control at major sporting events in Portugal are overseen by the Public Security Police, which operates in urban areas, and the Republican National Guard, which patrols rural jurisdictions.
